The present invention relates to toy guns in general and more particularly to those that utilize a spring-driven plunger and compressed air to project paper, confetti, fiber, or fluid.
For decades toy guns with different functions have been popular with both children and adults. Air guns powered by a spring and compressed air are among the most common types of toy guns. Among the projectiles available are balls, darts, missiles, disks, arrows, and water.
Many prior inventions involve toy guns driven by a spring and possibly compressed air as well. Most projectiles in these cases consist of relatively rigid materials such as metal, glass, plastic, or foam, and all tend to remain an integrated unit after being launched and during flight. When fluid is projected, it is in the form of relatively continuous flows.
Each of the following toy guns is in the form of a xe2x80x9cgun.xe2x80x9d U.S. Pat. No. 183,124 (Butterweck) discloses a toy gun which ejects a spherical projectile from the barrel utilizing a contracted spring as the sole source of power. Its trigger is designed to catch on a piston in the barrel. U.S. Pat. No. 1,339,949 (Egts) discloses a double-barreled toy gun which launches a small spherical projectile from the first barrel, using an extended spring in the second barrel as the power source. U.S. Pat. No. 1,488,995 (McCollom) also discloses a double-barreled toy gun, which compresses air by the movement of a spring and a plunger in the two barrels, discharging a missile-shaped projectile. Its trigger catches on the middle portion of a spring to hold the gun in a state ready for firing. U.S. Pat. No. 1,575,644 (Schmidt) discloses a toy gun with a trigger as its source of power, utilizing both a spring and compressed air as agents. When the trigger is pressed, the power is transferred through a series of mechanisms to contract a spring within the barrel. When the trigger is released, the potential energy of the spring ejects the projectile. U.S. Pat. No. 2,321,077 (Gora Et Al) discloses a toy gun within whose barrel is a spring that is compressed by the tail of a dart. The contracted spring is held by a trigger, the release of which ejects the projectile. U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,108 (White) discloses a toy gun that projects ping-pong balls utilizing the potential energy of a contracted spring and compressed air as an agent. U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,822 (Griffith) discloses a toy gun, with a rod and a spring, which projects a ping-pong ball like projectile by utilizing the energy produced by dragging the rod and compressing the spring. U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,869 (Barber) discloses a long gun, which uses a plunger to generate compressed air and to eject a ball-shaped projectile.
The following projectors are in the form of a long cylinder and use a spring or compressed air to generate power for the projection. U.S. Pat. No. 1,556,846 (Kovacs) discloses a launching tube containing a rod that is drawn to contract a spring. U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,883 (King) discloses an apparatus in which a rod is drawn to contract a spring, which once released, is able to fire balls. U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,701 (Bozich) discloses a projector that ejects a baseball, utilizing a spring as the power source and a long rod as an agent for transmitting the power. U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,561 (Starr) discloses a launching tube, which manually ejects cylindrical projectiles such as empty beverage cans using compressed air as an agent.
The following two patents emphasize the visual effects of projectiles in dark surroundings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,151 (Fusi) involves a bullet-shaped phosphor-containing projectile that creates clear visual effects in darkness. The invention discloses a round capsule containing a phosphor-containing fluid. However, the purpose of the art is to keep the projectile visible in flight and to leave a luminous mark on targets the projectile strikes. As such, the projectile remains integrated in flight until it reaches the target. U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,280 (Palmer/Palmer) discloses a toy gun that projects a dart using as an agent compressed air generated by a drawn rod and a released spring. The gun contains a flash lamp to create the fluorescent effects of the propelled projectile.
The above-mentioned launching devices have at least one of the following features, which differentiate them from the present invention: 1) the appearance of a xe2x80x9cgun,xe2x80x9d 2) horizontal xe2x80x9cshootingxe2x80x9d as the primary function, 3) rigid projectiles such as balls, darts, beverage cans, and special bullets that stay integrated during flight, 4) a target for shooting. Projectiles in all above-mentioned devices remain integrated after being ejected. Having one or more of these characteristics renders past inventions unsuitable for usage at large social gatherings.
The present invention is entirely dissimilar from above-mentioned apparatuses. The device is to be used for leisure. The primary function of the present invention is to project and disseminate soft and non-integrated materials contained in a cartridge, generally vertically and without aiming at a target. Additionally, the outside surface of the present invention can be covered with fluorescent materials for decorative purposes. A flag may also be attached to the upper section of the launching tube. These and other features could be appropriate at sporting or music events, wedding ceremonies, holiday celebrations, parties, or other large social gatherings.
In consideration of disadvantages of known types of toy gun devices, whose primary purposes are to horizontally project various hard projectiles that remain integrated after being ejected, the present invention is a new type of projecting device, which may be held in the hand and may project, usually vertically, soft projectiles such as paper disks, confetti, or fluid.
The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a new, simply constructed device that xe2x80x9cprojectsxe2x80x9d for visual pleasure but does not xe2x80x9cshoot.xe2x80x9d None of these advantages and new features have been shown or suggested in the prior art projecting devices.
For this purpose, the present invention consists of two sections of a launching tube, a plunger, a spring, a trigger, and a cartridge, which will be described with all details later.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a projecting device capable of launching, usually vertically, soft projectiles such as paper disks, confetti, or fluid for visual pleasure.
Another object is to provide a cartridge with a variety of possible contents, including but not limited to paper disks, confetti, and fluid, which may be treated with fluorescent materials in order to create pleasant visual effects in the dark. Letters or words could also be printed on paper disks. The disks could also display messages such as fortunes. Alternatively, they could show numbers and be used for drawing lots. To create a cheerful atmosphere, the substances being projected may also be scented.
A further object is to provide a projecting device not in the form of a xe2x80x9cgunxe2x80x9d but that of a long stick, the cross section of which may be circular, triangular, rectangular, or any other shape. The advantage of a stick-like structure is that additional adaptations are possible. For instance, the device may be used as a flagpole.
Another object is to provide a simply-constructed and inexpensive projecting device. The simplicity of the structure makes this device affordable and easy to use.
Still another object is to provide a light-weight, simply-operated, and easy-to-carry projecting device able to be held in one hand.
A further object is to provide a projecting device for repeated use.
An additional object is to provide a projecting device at a much larger scale, with the same structure as formerly described, in order to meet various demands on different occasions.
Another object is to provide a horizontal complex of projecting devices, with combined or separate triggers in order to eject projectiles from more than one device simultaneously.
The device is further described using accompanying illustrated drawings.